Knack 2: Platformer Sequel Finds Its Footing

Out today exclusive to PlayStation 4 is Knack 2. It’s a fun platformer, a sort of cross between the Lego games and Uncharted via Ratchet and Clank, with goblins and robots to … Continue reading Knack 2: Platformer Sequel Finds Its Footing

Birth of the Dragon: The Hero Nobody Wants or Needs

He might’ve died forty-four years ago, but Bruce Lee still attracts controversy. Director George Nolfi found that out, with the release of his Lee sort-of biopic, Birth of the Dragon. Centering … Continue reading Birth of the Dragon: The Hero Nobody Wants or Needs

Happy TIFFmas! Toronto’s film fest reveals first 2017 picks

It’s the silly season for Toronto filmgoers, the cine-season, TIFFmas to many devoted local movie buffs. Today the Toronto International Film Festival 2017 edition announced its first swath of upcoming … Continue reading Happy TIFFmas! Toronto’s film fest reveals first 2017 picks

Near Dark: The Original Hillbilly Vamps

Long before the teen angst pangs of Twilight or the fever heat of True Blood, director Kathryn Bigelow had an inkling of what a southern-fried vampire romance could be. Near Dark delivered on her … Continue reading Near Dark: The Original Hillbilly Vamps

Panique: French Crime Classics

If you like thrillers, genre-bending capers, femmes fatales and shady figures wrapped up in criminal exploits where no one comes out on top, chances are you’re a film noir fan … Continue reading Panique: French Crime Classics

Hardest Boiled: The Many Noirs of Jean-Pierre Melville

This summer, TIFF’s having a crime wave. French crime to be exact. They’re mounting two programmes, both bursting with criminal intent. I’ll take a look at the second bunch next … Continue reading Hardest Boiled: The Many Noirs of Jean-Pierre Melville

#Kirby100: BBP! Celebrates The King Jack Kirby All Summer Long

Jack Kirby. His artistry was, and remains, so innovative and influential in the comic book zeitgeist that the industry named awards after him. Heck, they even named a visual image … Continue reading #Kirby100: BBP! Celebrates The King Jack Kirby All Summer Long

Marriage Under a Microscope Overshadows The World Of ‘The Commune’

Man. I guess people were so depressed in the seventies they’d try just about anything. As we live through a fast-forward remix of the Watergate scandal, it’s interesting to take a … Continue reading Marriage Under a Microscope Overshadows The World Of ‘The Commune’

‘Buster’s Mal Heart’: Rami Malek Shines in Surreal But Broken Thriller

Anyone who watches Mr. Robot knows how hypnotic Rami Malek’s presence can be. He’s mastered an aura of complicated blankness, his glinting, buggy eyes set deep in his flatly inexpressive face. … Continue reading ‘Buster’s Mal Heart’: Rami Malek Shines in Surreal But Broken Thriller

Remembering Jonathan Demme: The director was a master of the intimate moment

With his passing on Wednesday, I sat down to watch a couple of Jonathan Demme’s best films. Demme’s never been in the pantheon; he’s not one of the revered directors … Continue reading Remembering Jonathan Demme: The director was a master of the intimate moment

‘Pecking Order’ Scores Blue Ribbon Hilarity For Its Look at Competitive Chicken Breeding

Get a small group of people together with a common interest, it’s going to get competitive. Give it a little time, it’ll get political and weird, too. Christopher Guest’s Best In … Continue reading ‘Pecking Order’ Scores Blue Ribbon Hilarity For Its Look at Competitive Chicken Breeding

Spooky ‘Room 213’ is a Family-Friendly Ghost Story at TIFF Kids Fest

The TIFF Kids International Film Festival is close to wrapping up, but there’s a few gems that are still worth checking out. While teens are unlikely to be moved by … Continue reading Spooky ‘Room 213’ is a Family-Friendly Ghost Story at TIFF Kids Fest